Entrepreneurship is Not Supposed to Be a Rollercoaster
Entrepreneurship should feel like a steady hike, not a rollercoaster.
Music blares overhead as you situate yourself in a two-seat buggy. You’re quickly strapped in, reminded to keep your hands and feet in at all times, and before you know it, whoosh, you’re off! The track winds and turns as you somersault in the air. But you’re starting to feel sick. You’re ready to escape this wild ride but the wheels keep turning. More and more I’m hearing women use this analogy to describe their experience as an entrepreneur. Even on social media, there are plenty of memes, and sarcastic jokes supporting this mainstream assumption that entrepreneurship is like an emotional rollercoaster. However, it’s not supposed to be. When you recognize emotions as symptoms and dig to unearth the cause, you are able to medicate through self-care and the abundance found in a relationship with Christ.
“Emotional highs and lows are the symptoms of a deeper problem. Not something to be expected and accepted .” - Janelle Lara (9:35 - 9:45)
What you’re feeling is not normal. Bouts of exhaustion, anxiety, and panic are all indicators of a greater issue. For example, if you were to eat a terribly large quantity of sugar, what would happen? You would most likely get a stomachache. The cause is five delicious donuts and the effect is a negative response in the form of pain. In the same way, when you experience highs and lows in entrepreneurship, your body is signaling that something deeper is going on.
Stop suffering unnecessarily by refusing to accept what you’re feeling as normal.
All women are particularly good at pushing through and accepting these symptoms as normal. We bare the pain, refrain from asking for help, and push aside self-care.
It’s a constant uphill battle of suffering for no good reason. When you neglect to take care of yourself, you feed into the heart of the greater issue. The problem is you can’t maintain equilibrium if you are in a constant state of crisis. What do you need to do right now to slow down and find solid ground? It could be calling a babysitter, spending an hour at the spa, or date night with your husband. Go ahead, I give you permission! You must take care of yourself to combat negative emotions and alleviate your symptoms.
I understand this is easier said than done. Some days may prove impossible to maintain equilibrium. Life isn’t filled with rainbows and butterflies especially considering divorce, death, and physical ailments. I’m not talking about those days. I’m talking about all the other days in the year. Be brave and choose to regularly analyze what triggers these emotional highs and lows. Is it seeing other people’s success? Or the loss of a client? Such heavy introspection can lead to dark places. The answers to these questions though will reveal underlying beliefs, injuries, and envious thoughts. It’s a necessary excavation to uncover the antithesis of our success but far from a walk in the park. It’s a journey all Christians are called to embark.
“We as Christian women need to be willing to go where no one else will go. We need to be willing to forsake and discard our ego in favor of Christ’s will.” - Janelle (18:49 - 19:01)
Getting off of the rollercoaster requires you to set your ego aside.
I must admit, the alternative is way more comfortable. Instead of exploring the cause of our emotions, we fume in place. We push through our suffering, accept our symptoms as normal, and continue to ride the emotional rollercoaster getting us nowhere. We stay angry and envious of anyone else’s success. Oh, and we’re completely miserable. Sound good? I didn’t think so. Matthew 10:39 states, “Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” Try substituting the word “ego” for “life.” Our careers as entrepreneurs should never be ego-driven or we’ll be highly disappointed all the time. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are called to celebrate each other’s victories as rivals, not enemies. This non-ego approach requires daily practice with an intimate connection to the Father’s heart. It requires focused dedication but abounds with immeasurable rewards.
Being a Christian in business is challenging but worthwhile. At just 18 years old, I was diagnosed with Panic Anxiety Disorder. For 11 years, I pushed through the suffering and accepted my symptoms as normal. But then I made a conscious decision. I decided to do everything possible to heal and allow God to heal me. I sprung into action and with Christ as my guide tackled my problems through some severe life changes. Though I’m not 100% cured, I can confidently say I’m happier today than I was before.
If you’ve been suffering and winding your way through entrepreneurship or even life, I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be such a struggle. There is an abundance of peace and joy waiting for you in a relationship with Christ. If you give yourself over to His plans you reap prosperity, not harm (Jeremiah 29:11). Together, you both can tackle the greater issues, alleviate your symptoms, and maintain equilibrium. Have you laced up your hiking boots yet? It’s time to get off the emotional rollercoaster and head to the mountains. A long steady journey awaits.
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